official acts
Authorized government actions
Official acts are actions taken by a public officeholder in their formal governmental capacity, as distinguished from personal or private conduct.
The term gained prominence in discussions of presidential immunity, where courts must determine which actions qualify for legal protection: The ruling held that official acts cannot be prosecuted.
The boundary between official and unofficial acts—whether a president calling a state official about election results is governing or campaigning—often determines legal exposure.
- judgmentsFormed opinions or decisions
- record-keepingMaintaining organized documentation
- inspectionsSystematic examinations for flaws
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- budget approvalSanctioning a financial plan
executive orders · executive privilege · pardon power · rulings · treaties · audits · depositions · consular services · ceremonial duties · press briefing · negotiations · personnel management · summits · licensing · public policy · regulatory oversight · subpoenas · peace accords
- declarationsdeclaration, declarations, proclamation, proclamations, announcement
- papal lawpapal bulls, encyclicals
official, officials, officially, unofficially, unofficial, officialdom, officiate, officiating, officiated